Simplified guide to selecting and using a Guitar Slide (useful accessory for Guitar / Bass). Slides are available in various designs, sizes, and even materials, and what you should buy depends on a few factors.
What is Slide Guitar?
As you get past the beginner stage, there are various guitar techniques that one has to learn. The Slide guitar or bottleneck guitar is another technique that you may want to learn in the future.
In this technique, instead of changing the pitch by pressing the string against frets, a slide is placed upon the string to vary its vibrating length, and pitch. This slide can then be moved along the string without lifting, creating continuous transitions in pitch.
How it is Played?
Here’s a nice video that shows how to play slide guitar.
So assuming a right-handed player and guitar, you could place the guitar in a couple of positions and play it.
The first technique is where you hold the guitar in the normal position, and use a slide called a bottleneck on one of the fingers of the left hand; this is known as bottleneck guitar.
Second is where the guitar is held horizontally, facing upwards and the bass strings toward the player, and you use a slide called a “steel” held in the left hand; this is known as “lap steel guitar”.
Factors to Choose
Slides are widely available in different designs, materials, and sizes, and what you choose also depends on other factors such as the type of guitar, string height and gauge, amplification set up, whether you’re recording or performing live, playing solo or in a band context, and so on.
Here are some more factors to consider when buying slides:
Mass: This does impact the sound produced on acoustic guitars, and it is better to choose something with significantly more mass. Electric guitarists may use thinner slides as well, because the amplifiers also play an important role in the sound produced.
Hardness: This also impacts the Tone produced. Comparatively softer material such as copper may not be suitable for acoustic guitar as the sound dies almost immediately. Whereas chromed pot-metal and stainless are too hard, the tone being dominated by a high end sizzle which emphasizes string noise while being unpleasantly thin.
Fit: The slide should fit your finger snugly enough to keep from falling on your toe when you relax your hand at your side, fingers straight down.
Which Finger to Use?
So which finger to guitarists use for the slide?
Though different players have trained themselves to use these on different players, most find the little finger to give the maximum flexibility and usefulness; so even I would suggest learning to use the slide on your little finger.
Slide Recommendations
So to sum it up, if you play the acoustic guitar, then you want something that fits snugly on your little finger, and something with higher mass in the middle of the harness range.
Another thing to note is that some guitarists like to adjust the string gauges (especially for the first and second string), before recording slide parts.
A wide range of slides are available to Bottleneck, Slide & Lap-Style guitarists.
You can select from a range of polished glass bottleneck guitar slides; hand-blown lead crystal glass guitar slides and crystal glass Lap & Pedal Steel tone bars.
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
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